Registering Multiple Domains

If you register multiple .co.uk (.org.uk, …) domains at the same time, you will most likely hear nothing from Nominet for at least 18 months. You will then receive a slew of A4 envelopes in the post, one per domain, containing certificates and paperwork that you need to fill in and return to them.

If you have lots of domains to register at the same time, this form-filling will get very repetitive and annoying. I’m working on an InDesign template that will allow you to print out your details directly onto the form.

Transferring Domains

When you receive the certificate for a domain, you get a transfer form with it. There are two aspects to domain name ownership in the UK: (1) administration access to the domain name, held with a domain name registrar, which allows you to control the web space and email day-to-day running of the domain, and (2) the Nominet record of who owns the domain. If the whois record of a domain and the information held by Nominet disagree then it is very likely that the Nominet information takes precedence. The purpose of the transfer form is to update the records held by Nominet.

What is not clear in advance is that there is a charge for this service — currently £35.25 (inc. VAT). This seems fair enough if the domain name is worth having, and you want to protect yourself in case the original owner later disputes the transfer.

Warning

Be sure that the domain has plenty of time left to run before it expires. You can renew a domain for about £5 for two years through many different registration agents; however, if you renew the domain via Nominet at the same time as the transfer it will cost you £129.25 – £35.25 = £94. Your choice :-)